Underwater cultural heritage in the Arab States Region

This brochure aims to introduce the UNESCO 2001 Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage, present the key Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH) sites in the Region and highlight their contribution to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Implementation Plan of the UN Decade for Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

The Region is home to rich heritage in all its dimensions – tangible and intangible, movable and immovable, and land-based and submerged. With the long coastline, the Region has a significant wealth of UCH covering some coastal World Heritage sites and biosphere reserves.

The UCH Convention was ratified by 70 countries, including 12 countries in the Arab States Region. The UCH Convention aims to strengthen the protection of UCH, which bears testimony to historical events, trade and exchange, climate change and also natural disasters, to reconstruct past cultures and advance climate knowledge.

Another important feature of the UCH Convention is its State Cooperation Mechanism. This Mechanism allows the international community to develop comprehensive protection of UCH including those in waters beyond the national jurisdiction, or the Area of High Seas, contributing to establishing effective Ocean Governance. The brochure presents the ongoing unique cooperation on the UCH in the Skerki Bank (Tunisia) and the Sicilian Channel (Italy) in this regard.

Besides its scientific and cultural significance, UCH makes economic contribution through coastal and marine tourism. It brings ocean-based new experience to the community and youth, providing an important basis of the Ocean-Based Blue Economy.